World of Remnant: Republic of Gavel
by McGroyster
Summary: A nation forgotten. A land battered by war, crime, and oppression. A mysterious old man tells of the land of his birth: The 'former' Republic of Gavel. The setting for many stories to come, learn the lore and history of this proud nation in this "World of Remnant"-style story.
1. Prologue

**Hey there! Thanks for checking out my story! This will be a World of Remnant-style story to provide more and set the stage for my next upcoming story! This is my first time publishing, so I would really love some feedback! Enjoy!**

 **Anima**

 **Kingdom of Mistral**

"Hmm. You seem a bit lost". The fire crackled as the man stoked it. His long hair and thick beard, white as snow, glimmered like gold in the light of the fire. The young huntress-in-training stood in the clearing of the forest, where the old man had set up camp. She was reluctant of the man's presence, but he was the best chance she had at surviving the night. The sun was long gone, and shadows crept around them from every angle. The old man groaned as he struggled to sit on the log, letting out a sigh of relief when he finally settled into place.

"Are you just going to stand there all night, or are you going to join me by the fire?" the old man asked. His voice was gruff, but calm. Still on edge, the red-hooded girl looked around. The man sighed, "Bah, I'm not going to hurt you. Come" he gestured to her "Won't you sit with an old man for a spell". Carefully, she began to walk toward the fire, finding a spot to sit on a vacant log.

A howl broke through the silence of the night. Alerted, the hooded-huntress quickly turned to the direction of the sound and prepared to draw her weapon. After a few moments of silence, the girl began to lower her guard. "Hmmm. They seem close" the man remarked, a slight grin present on his face. The girl turned to face the man, amazed that he could act so calm in a Grimm-infested forest. "Don't worry, they won't bother us" the man said as he removed a flask from his tattered duster coat. He took a swig, then extended his toward the young girl. "Care for a drink?" he offered. Silver orbs examined the flask. Nervously she began to reply. "I-" she muttered. "I'm not old enough". The old man looked at her for a moment, before shrugging. "Suit yourself" he said, and took another drink.

As the young girl began to calm her nerves, she removed her hood and began to look around the camp the man had made. It was nice. A large tent had been set up a dozen or so feet away from where they sat. It looked big enough to house a team of huntsmen. It wasn't until the adrenaline from her chase began to subside that she began to notice she was feeling strange, as if the world around her began to swirl. It was the old man who noticed, as he looked up from the fire. His dark-steel eyes widened as he looked at her. "You're hurt" he said.

Confused, the young girl began to realize what the man was talking about. She hadn't noticed it before, after wearing her hood for so long but she could feel where the blood flowing from the side of her head. She began to panick. "Don't move" the man said as he slowly rose from his seat, only to disappear in his tent. He returned a few moments later with a leather bound satchel, from which he removed a roll of bandages. "Stay still" the man told the girl as he began wrapping the bandages around her wound. When he finished, he held out the small dented flask to her once more. She was stopped before she could refuse. "I would drink this, if I were you" he suggested. Still feeling dizzy, she braved herself and took a drink from the container. It was the worst thing she had ever tasted, she thought to herself and she had half a mind to spit it out. She didn't however, and the drink burned as it went down.

"Good girl" the man commented, as he finished examining her for any further injuries. He walked back to the log, and painfully sat back in his seat. Finally settled, the man looked at the girl. "So, how did that happen?" he asked.

"My team and I" she began, "were on our way to Mistral." she took a moment to collect her thoughts. "We stopped at a village not too far from here. They said that a pack of Grimm had been threatening them for the past few weeks". Her voice became more serious as she continued. "They asked us to track them down and kill them. But there were more Grimm than we expected. They overwhelmed us, so I drew as many as I could with me to cover my friends' retreat". Her face looked stricken with worry. "We got separated. I don't even know if they're alive".

"Hmm. Well, that was brave of you" the man replied. "I'm sure your friends are just fine, but they're probably worried sick about you" he continued. Somehow, that helped to relieve the girl. After a few minutes, she began to talk with the man further. "Ummm, are you out here by yourself?" she asked. "Indeed I am" he replied.

"Alone?" she asked. "Alone" he replied. "I like the peace and quiet". As the young huntress continued to think of topics to discuss, she began to think about her situation. The nearest town was miles away. They were out of supplies, out of ammo, and worse, had no clue where they were. The hunter knew going out alone meant certain death. "I- is it okay if I stay the night?" they asked shyly.

"Hmm" the man pondered. "What kind of man would I be to turn away a wounded girl" he answered.

The hunter gave a sigh of relief. The man took another drink "So, where are you from?" he asked. "I'm from Vale. I'm training to be a huntress there! Or- I was, at least…"

"My, you're a long way from home. Yes, it's a shame what happened to Beacon" he replied.

"We're on my way to Mistral. We're going to continue our training at Haven academy." with a bit of optimism in her voice. "Well, that sounds like as good a plan as any" he stated.

After another few minutes of silence, the girl continued their continued

"Uhh. Where… are you from?" she asked nervously.

"Galagee" the man answered.

"Galagee? Where is that?" she asked.

"If you've never heard of it, then that's probably a good thing" he replied with a chuckle.

"It's in Gavel" he continued.

Still drawing a blank, the young girl didn't answer.

With a sigh, the man continued. "It's in Vacuo".

"Oh! I have friends in Vacuo! They're really cool!" she said excitedly.

"I bet" he replied.

"What's it like there?" the young girl asked. The fire crackled as the light shimmered upon his hard face. She could see a glimmer of light shine from under his coat. A gun. The girl sat up nervously. "Well, that depends" the man asked. Adrenaline began to return to her. She sat there nervously, feeling dizzy both from her wound and the drink offered to her. She waited for the man's response. Finally it came. "Care to listen to the tales of an old man?". The hunter was surprised. Was that all? "Uhh, sure…" they answered". The man chuckled. "Well, better get comfy" he stated. "It's going to be a long night"...


	2. World of Remnant: Gavel

Let me tell you about my home. It is a land rich with history and culture, but also mired in conflict and strife. Our nation has played roles in some of the most pivotal points of Remnant's history, but today, most people don't even know we exist. Our story, legacy, and very existence have been wiped from the history books. For our's is a dangerous tale to tell, especially in the Kingdoms. But in order to tell it properly, I'll have to start from the very beginning…

Gavel is my home…

Located in the south of Sanus, along the border Vale and Vacuo, Gavel has been home to men and faunus since the age of the first kingdoms. No one knows for sure when men settled the region, but we do know that the first strongholds were made high in the peaks of the Hickory mountains. It is commonly believed that the mountains provided ample protection from both aerial and terrestrial Grimm. Even the strongest armies of that time would prove no match for the natural defences the mountains provided. However, the mountains, as we know them today, are virtually void of the vital resources needed to sustain the ancient settlements. Despite this, there is reason to believe that primitive hunters and farmers living in the lower peaks provided a reliable stream of food and water. Given these conditions, the men of the mountains could have held out in the fortresses for countless generations. But they did'nt…

According to local lore, an event known as "The Lady's exodus" occurred sometime within the past thousand years, driving the ancient settlers from their mountain homes and into the unforgiving terrain of Gavel's lowlands. This mass migration resulted in settlements being built in every corner of Gavel's geographical borders. Over time, these settlers began building their own unique cultural identities, resulting in the birth of four kingdoms.

The Kingdoms of Vetejo, Galagy, Bansy, and Killyn drew their lines in the sand and, for the next 200 years, waged bloody warfare among one another in what became known as "The War of the Queen's Crown". To those who know of our history, this war seemed pointless and spontaneous. But war was inevitable. Each being descended from the first settlers of the region, the rulers of these four kingdoms felt that the entirety of Gavel was rightfully theirs to claim, thus they fought. But what made this war _really_ interesting was the way it ended.

Following the death of Garred II, the King of Bansy, his son Allyn ascended the throne. Determined to finish the war his father spent his entire life fighting, King Allyn declared that all able men were to serve in the King's army. This resulted in similar decrees being put in place among the other three kingdoms. The following years resulted in staggering losses, and public morale dropped to an all time low. With a significant percentage of the Kingdoms' populations gone, harvests failed, leading to starvation. Grief permeated the general mood of the populace, causing Grimm to swarm through the land like a plague. Attempts to point the blame at the leaders of the other kingdoms began to fail, as the subjects of the four kingdoms began to look at their own leaders as the root of their problems.

This mounting tension among the kingdoms finally reached a boiling point when riots broke out in the Bansian capital of Stonewater. After 14 days, the rioters swarmed the royal palace, and murdered King Allyn 'the cruel', as he became to be known. From the ashes of the old monarchy rose the Democratic State of Bansy. Surprisingly, the removal of the king saw a significant decrease of Grimm attacks. Hope replaced fear, and for the first time peace seemed possible. For the next two years, Bansy fought to repel monarchist invaders, all the while supporting similar revolutionary movements in the other kingdoms. These movements were fairly successful, once people saw the state of prosperity Basny enjoyed. One by one, the kingdoms began to fall. The aged King Cormac of Killyn was murdered in his sleep. King Maxwell of Vetejo was publicly executed, and the child-King Jordan of Galagy fled to Mantle.

When the final Kingdom fell, the leaders of the democratic movements signed the Stonewater Accord, officially ending the Queen's War, and uniting the democratic states. Thus the First Republic of Gavel was born-

"So wait!" the girl interrupted, startling the old man, who was now in an irritated mood having lost his train of thought. "The kings were overthrown?" she girl asked curiously.

"More like killed, but yes" he answered with a shrug. "So there were _no_ kings in- uhh Gavel?" she asked carefully, trying not to get the name wrong. "For a time" he replied. "The citizens of the newly formed republic despised the kings. All effigies and monuments dedicated to their legacies were torn down, and most of their names erased from history" he continued.

"Wow" she said, astonished she had never heard this before. "They hated them that much?" she asked. "They hated the very idea of monarchy. It was decided that every man and women would have a voice in the new republic" he replied.

"That's amazing!' she said, fascinated by the idea the republic stood for. "But wait, what happened to them" She asked

"The same thing that destroyed many nations before them…" he answered

"War"


	3. World of Remnant: The Grand Republic

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for reading my fic! I want to clarify that I am currently writing a fic that will be set in the old Republic. For now, I'll be explaining the lore of this country. Let me know what you of the back-and-forth style I use between the campfire dialogue and the narration. Enjoy!**

 **World of Remnant: Gavel pt. II "The Grand Republic"**

"But wait" the girl started, "didn't they just finish a war?". She hadn't noticed exactly how much time had past. The moon and its shattered remains now sat high in the center of the midnight sky, illuminating the low-lying fog giving it an almost angelic glow. The forest was alive with the sounds of nocturnal nature; crickets chirped, an owl cried a lonely call, and a distant roar could be heard every now and then. She started to shiver as a cold chill began to creep in. Having noticed this, the old man was already in the process of adding logs to the fire.

"Indeed, they did. But perhaps I am getting ahead of myself" he replied with effort as he moved back to his seat. He withdrew his flask and took another drink. He then sat and pondered for a moment before elaborating. "Its…. complicated" he said...

To say that the Republic simply rose and fell would be an insult to the legacy they left behind. After the Queen's War was concluded, the young nation enjoyed a remarkable period of growth and reform. Following the signing of the Stonewater accord, the leaders of the democratic movements began to meet to form a sustainable government in what became known as the reformation assembly. At first, the process proved to be more problematic than anticipated. While eager to make peace and find common ground, it was clear that the wounds of the war had not fully healed, and many in the four states still held resentment toward one another.

During the war, the Kingdom of Vetejo proved themselves to be the dominant power among the warring crowns. Having seized the most territory, spanning from the far reaches of the Great Bone Valley to the southern banks of the Spry, many believed that King Maxwell would emerge triumphant, winning for himself the _Corona de la Reina_. But even the glory of victory couldn't save the King from an angry population of grieving widows and fatherless children. During the assembly, Edwin Gunn, a delegate from Bansy proposed that all territorial claims from the war be forfeited, restoring the four states to their original borders.

This proposal received mixed reactions. Having been on the losing side of the war, the Killyn and Galagan delegations were naturally in favor of this movement. The Bansian delegation, however, was split. Despite losing a significant portion of its western territory to Maxwell's armies, King Allyn was successful in capturing the Isle of Slayne off of Killyn's western coast. Many in the delegation were content in giving up the arid wastelands lost to Vetejo in return for their new, fertile island possession. However Gunn received many sympathisers among his peers, who believed the only way to establish a lasting peace was to undo the damage of their needless war. The Vetejan delegation, however, almost entirely objected the proposal. The lands they claimed cost the Kingdom countless lives, and the Vetejan people did not want their loss to be in vain.

Ultimately, the vote passed with a slim majority. Outraged and feeling that Vetejo would not be properly represented within the new government, many in the Vetejan delegation withdrew. After six months of grueling debate, the Grand Republic of Gavel was formed under the Sovereignty Charter. Per the newly written charter, the city of Stonewater was established as the nation's capital. Presidential elections were to be held following the assembly. In the end, the election saw Edwin Gunn win the presidency over his opponent, the governor of Galagee, Cornelius Peck.

For a while, the Republic prospered. Relations among the states increased, Grimm attacks were becoming less prevalent, and living conditions were made better by state and local reforms. Even Gavel's faunus population was treated a generous amount of respect.

"Really?" the huntress asked. "My friend always told me that humans mistreated faunus". The man nodded in agreement. "Aye, maybe in Atlas and Vale. But the 'old ways' of Gavel stated that if you can _abide_ and _survive_ , then you were welcome" he said proudly.

"That's so cool! Life must have been great there!" the girl said cheerfully. "It was" the man said, happy that the girl was showing so much interest in his home. "For 150 the Grand Republic stood for the rights of the free. But our existence posed a threat to the other nations of the world". He said in a more serious tone. "The rulers of the Great Kingdoms feared our nation. It threw into question their own legitimacy. It was the King of Vacuo who decided to solidify his right to rule. Vacuo declared war on our land and, despite our attempts to build a reliable army, took it with ease".

"But… how?" the girl asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Apparently we weren't as united as we thought" the old man answered. "The armies of each state, still divided by a war they never knew, refused to fight together. Thus, divided we fell" he continued. "Our _Grand Republic_ was no more"...

 **A/N: Thanks for reading! Fore anyone who's interested, I have maps made on my Tumblr at** **.com** **(can I post links here?) Oh, well. Enjoy!**


	4. World of Remnant: Bansy

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the delay in posting. I've been adjusting with a new job and have not had much time to write. So it looks like that like in my last A/N didn't work, so if you're interested in seeing the maps I've made, check out my Tumblr at "Gavel Republic"!**

 **World of Remnant: Bansy**

Bansy, our primordial homeland. No one knows for certain when men first set foot in Gavel, but we do know that they built their first settlements high in the peaks of the Hickory mountains, in the heart of Bansy's midlands. Even today, thousands of years after our ancestors fled their mountain homes, the Hickories still serve a greater purpose for the people of Bansy. To the south, they served as a buffer against the invading armies of Galagy and Vetejo during the Queen's War. To the west, they protect the people of central Bansy from the vicious creatures that roam the Great Bone Valley. But most importantly, they provide the resources needed to fuel Bansy's economy. Only discovered within the past 300 years, large deposits of coal have been found deep in the mountains, and have been used exclusively to fuel Stonewater's industry.

Despite being the most powerful among the Gavalan states, only have of Bansy is actually habitable. East of the Hickory mountains, you'll find yourself surrounded by fertile valleys, lush forests, rushing rivers and rolling hills, with small towns such as Gallicksville and Gunn's Grove dotting the land like stars in the night sky. West of the Hickories, however, is a much different story. Starting from the base of the mountains is an arid, lifeless hell as far as the eye can see. This is the Great Bone Valley. More variants of Grimm can be found in this patch of desert than in the rest of Gavel combined - even species of Grimm not found anywhere else in Remnant. Many brave souls wandered into the unforgiving valley with hopes of taming the land and making a name for themselves. Most of these men would never be seen again. That is not to say that the valley is _entirely_ uninhabited. Of the many towns and settlements that tried and failed to settle the land, the most successful of these is the town of Deadwood, a sleepy little outpost in the western neck of the valley that stood the test of time.

Bansy is the administrative seat of Gavel. Home to the first democratic revolution, the signing of the Stonewater accord, countless political and military leaders, and the capital city of Stonewater itself, Bansy's control over the Gavalan government is unquestionable. But it was not always this way. During the first Republic, laws were put into place to ensure that each state had an equal say in the dealings of Gavel's government. Following the Vacuo war, however, the republic was dissolved. The four states were incorporated into the Kingdom of Vacuo. Rather than waste valuable time and resources toward governing their new lands, Vacuo raised the state government of Bansy to the regional government of Gavel, giving Bansy full control over the affairs of the former republic.

Once being a beacon of freedom, today, Bansy's government is made up of nothing more than corrupt officials, royal sympathizers, and greedy businessmen willing to sell Gavel's resources to foreign business interests. But despite all of this, the government has no actual control outside of Bansy. In Galagee and Vetejo, crime runs rampant. The power of these states lies not in Bansian-appointed officials, but in the hands of the local crime families who do more to protect Gavel's citizens than the actual government.

"The point I'm trying to make is, the Bansy government is a joke. Take it from me, I'm a Galagan, and not _once_ has Bansy ever done anything to make our lives better"

The hour was late but the old man was still bursting with energy. For a few minutes, the young huntress said nothing, taking in this new information. Finally, she spoke. "So… how would you make things better?"

Her question took the man by surprise. The young girl added to her question. "Well… I'm training to be a huntress. I want to make people's lives better, safer. Based off of what you told me, your government didn't really do a good job at that. So, how would you make things better?".

The man took several moments to himself, contemplating the question. Finally, his raised his head to her, a blank expression on his face. "Abolish the kingdoms" he said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. The young huntress failed to realize his joke.

"I'm kidding. That is a very… complicated question. People in Galagee constantly complain that Bansy doesn't have Gavel's best interests in mind. And they don't. If it were up to them, Stonewater would gladly wipe their hands clean of us, but their superiors on the Vacuan council say otherwise. They require Bansy to maintain control of Gavel, lest they be stripped of their jobs, or worse, place Gavel under martial law"

"That's terrible!"

"No kidding. Trust me, nobody wants it to come to that. But think about it this way" he removed his flask from his jacket, taking another drink. "The gangs that run Galagee and Vetejo _actually_ give a shit about the people who live there. Sure, they kill people and rob people and threaten people…" the man paused having lost his train of thought.

"Oh, right! They may sound like terrible people, but they look after their own. Where I'm from, the gang that ran the town was very generous. They made sure that all children went to school, and that the school was well funded. They supported and protected the stores and businesses, for a small fee of course. And they punished those that broke the peace, normally with a six-shooter. But overall, they were the nicest family you could hope to meet". The old man's voice was filled with nostalgia.

"But, they killed people, right?" she asked, uncertain that this gang of murderers had the moral high ground the man claimed they held.

"Absolutely! But just about everyone in town has killed someone. But Vauco wasn't too fond of murderers running their town. Vacuo ordered Bansy to send their federal agents to arrest the gangs. And when they failed, the Kingdom sent its own Vacuan Rangers to quell the crime families. Still, they couldn't remove the gangs from power. And I'm glad they didn't. To answer your question, young lady, I suppose I would make things better by giving more to the towns. In my opinion, the crime families are the better of two evils compared to the incompetent government". The man sat forward on his log, taking the long iron rod to stoke the fire.

The young huntress wasn't entirely sure if she agreed with the man's logic, but she accepted his answer. Then suddenly, a… personal question came to her.

"Have you… killed anyone?"

"What do you think?" the man replied with a stern face, his gun still visible by the light from the fire. The man spoke to avoid further comment.

"In all honesty, we could sit here and talk about how to make the world a better place until we're blue in the face. But the fact remains. In Galagee, the only decision maker is the gun at your hip"...


	5. World of Remnant: Galagee

**World of Remnant: Galagee**

I was born and raised in the Galagee territory. It's not the worst place in Remnant, but it sure as hell ain't the nicest either. Folks here are a rambunctious bunch, and for good reasons too. For generations, the people of Galagee have suffered numerous hardships: oppression at the hands of the Vacuan Kingdom, exploitation by foreign corporate monopolies, and criminal atrocities within their own population.

Nestled between the Hickory mountains and the mountainous border of Vale, the state of Galagee is considered by many to be the heart of Gavel. Similar to the other states, the first men to settle the region migrated down from the eastern neck of the Hickories. Among these first men was a powerful clan known as the House of Ravens. It is believed that this clan was the ruling house among the first settlers in Galagee, and that the kings of Galagy were direct descendants of the House of Ravens.

The land these first men found was a interesting one to say the least. From the windswept prairies west of the river Spry, to the arid plains south of the river's fork, this land was seen as a welcomed change of pace compared to the mountains from which they were fleeing. Upon our exodus from the mountains, the Lady spoke to us of a land so pure. A land free from oppression and suffering, free from the vile creatures of Grimm. This was our "promised land". Many believe Galagee to be the land she was referring to, but in reality, others, myself included, find that extremely hard to believe. Galagee isn't free from oppressors. Grimm frequently make their way into Galagee via the Vale border. And to top it all off, Galagee is one of the most crime-ridden places in all of Remnant. There is a reason Galagee is known as "outlaw country".

But frankly, Galagee's crime-world is what makes us unique. At least Vale's film industry seems to think so. Countless western, crime, and mystery films have been shot here, virtually cementing our reputation as a land of cowboys and gangsters. Indeed, Galagee is run by criminal enterprise. Whether it's the Karpenter gang of Outlaws Crossing, or the Clanker gang of Duran, or the various competing syndicates in New Mantle, the people of Galagee always know who to pay their respects to.

It is true that Galagee, along with the rest of Gavel, is somewhat backwards in terms of technological advancement. We still use coal as our main source of energy, and our firearms still use gunpowder-based ammunition. Anywhere else on Remnant, dust would naturally be used as an alternative to these archaic resources. But dust is a scarce commodity in Gavel. Galagee is home to one of the largest dust deposits in all of Remnant, but not a speck of that dust will ever be used by a citizen of Gavel. Upon hearing about this massive underground dust reservoir, buried under the city formerly known as Dewhollow, the Schnee Dust Company quickly sought to monopolize it. Overnight, the Schnee conglomerate owned all of the dust-rich land in and around the city. Other Atlesian businesses followed suit, supplying foreign investment and establishing businesses in the old Galagan capital, transforming the small, sleepy town into a bustling metropolis, now bearing the name of Atlas' predecessor kingdom.

Our people fought in the Great War, you see. We may not like our Vacuan liege, or our neighboring kingdom, Vale, but back then we understood that they stood for freedom. We understood that if Atlas won, whatever freedom we had left would have been stripped away. And so we fought for Vacuo, we fought for Vale, but ultimately we fought for our rights. The war devastated our country, and since then the wounds have still not fully healed. It is because of this that Atlas' economical control over Galagee's capital is seen as a grave insult. However, the only people who aren't upset about Atlas' acquisition of New Mantle are the people of New Mantle. These Galagans, many of whom had lived in the capital for generations, were more than happy to let Atlesian money flow through their city. The rest of Galagee saw these people as traitors to their country. These clashing loyalties caused a rift to form between Gavalan nationalists and Atlesian sympathizers. Thus, Galagee became a divided state, in an already divided country.

-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-

"How's your head?"

The young huntress took a moment to asses her injury. The old man's stories had done a great deal to distract her from her wound, to the point where she had almost forgotten about it. She placed her hand to the side of her bandaged head. The red on the palm of her hand suggested that the bleeding had not fully stopped.

"Here", the man spoke as he stood "let me change your wrappings". He entered his tent and emerged a few moments later holding a roll of cloth and a metal canteen. Her head began to ache as the man removed the dirty clothes from her head, but the pain soon subsided after he replaced them with fresh bandages. The man moved the canteen toward her. "Drink". She tried to push the canteen away, remembering the foul taste of the drink he offered earlier. "It's just water" the man explained. Corrected, the girl carefully took the canteen from the old man and proceeded to drink.

The man grabbed two log and placed them in the fire before taking his seat once again. Almost immediately the dwindling flames sprung back to life. Clouds had since rolled over the sky, hiding the moon from view.

"What time is it?" asked the young girl.

"Night" he replied sarcastically

"I mean, what time of night?"

"No clue"

"We've been here for hours, though. Why isn't it morning yet?" she began to sound concern. It is true, hours have passed since she first came upon the camp. Yet the pitch black of midnight hung over the forest, with no sign of dawn in sight.

"Listen" the man said, slightly slurring the word. He quickly shook his head and continued. "You took a hard knock to the noggin and I've been drinking, so I don't think either of us are in the right mind to know guess assume what time it is". She could hear it now, he sounded drunk. "I guess so" she replied, not wanting to question his state of sobriety any further.

Changing the subject, she returned to the topic of his story. "Your home sounds like a very… rough place" she said meekly, trying not to offend the man. "Oh absolutely! They say there's always a thousand ways to die in any given moment, but in Galagee, you could multiply that sevenfold. If the heat doesn't kill you, then the Grimm will kill you. If the Grimm don't kill you then someone's bound to shoot you dead" The man withdrew his firearm, opened the revolving chamber and allowed the bullets inside fall into the palm of his hand. Inspecting the bullets, he continued. "Lady knows I've killed my fair share of men". His words sent a chill down the young girl's spine. She had not wanted to assume such things before. This confirmation put her at a loss for words.

"Why- why did you kill them?" she asked, fear slowly rising in her. She was not sure she wanted to hear his answer. "Oh, a ton of reasons I suppose. It all depends really. Some men were murderers. Others just looked at me funny. I dueled men who thought they were quick enough to take me down, yet I always walked away. You think I'm some kind of murderer now, don't ya? Some sort of wicked man who kills without question? Well, welcome to Gavel, girl".

She did not like his answer, yet it was not the answer she feared most. For the length of time she knew him, he seemed like an honorable man. And the way he described his actions only further suggested that they were not always out of malice.

"I don't!" she cried out suddenly. "I don't think…. You're a monster. A monster wouldn't have let me stay the night, or helped me with my injuries. I don't like that you've killed people, but I don't think that you're a bad person…"

For a moment the man stared at her with an almost shocked face. Finally the man threw his head back and let out a loud guffaw. "Hahaha! Ahh- well, that's kind of you to say, girl. But I know my actions are the noblest ones. But what's done is done and we can only move forward. Yet, I fear that my days of delivering "divine justice" are not quite over".

The girl dared not question what he meant. Before she could say anything, the man spoke first. "But, at least we're not like the heartless bastards down south. I don't think that someone of your… constitution could bear to hear half of the things criminals do down there. Indeed, Vetejo is the real no-man's-land"...

 **A/N: Thanks for reading! Sorry this chapter went a little long. This chapter was kind of a struggle for me regarding what I wanted Galagee to be, in terms of its people and places. I want to give a little insight just to clarify some things.**

 **Galagee is based heavily off of the American Wild West, with gangs running the local towns and government agencies struggling to maintain law and order.**

 **Dewhollow was former capital of Galagy, back from its days as a small kingdom. When dust was discovered buried underground the SDC basically came in and took over the town, turning it into "New Mantle". New Mantle differs in comparison to the rest of Galagee as it is supposed to be based of the bustling cities of the roarin' 20s, with mafias and crime syndicates running wild here.**


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